Kristina, Printmaking, Photography & Plants

Where is home, and what do you get up to with your time in real life?

I’m based in London. It’s been my home for 8 years now, but I travel a lot for work and research. I’m a professional artist and specialise in printmaking and photography. That means I work with many traditional handmade print techniques such as lithography, etching as well as direct photography, film and digital photography. For me the magic begins when we merge the new with the old.

Landscape is at the core of my work. I love learning about remote histories. I call it a felt history, because I want my work to evoke an emotional connection to a place. I work with many foundations, conservators and scientists to learn about the different environments I go to, the human impact and history of it.

From there, I create a series of artworks around what I’ve learned, telling the story of the place.

In addition to my art, I co-founded a print house with another artist and printmaker Joao Villas, editioning for other artists and galleries. We are limited edition fine art publishers, which has always been a lifelong dream of mine. That’s called Plaintiff Press.

It’s really exciting to bring all my passions and enthusiasm for prints and collaborate on new and exciting projects with different artists. We work with a lot of artists who are searching for sustainable printing and through that have been using plants to create natural pigments to make new inks and various book covers and editions.

Do you have a digital presence?

Yes, I do.

My website is Kristina Chan and my instagram is @kristina_chan_. The print house can be found at Plaintiff Press or on Instagram @plaintiff.press

What do plants mean to you?

Plants inspire a lot of my work and daily life. We have such a strong association with them. Some remind me of home while others are so exotic they fascinate me no end.

They can provide comfort, clean the air, and bring calm. Their strength and resilience in the face of natural disaster and human impact is incredible.

They have a very powerful presence. I find a lot of inspiration in that.

How do plants play a part in your work?

Botany, landscape, trees, they all play a huge role in my artistic practice.

Are you growing anything?

I’ve got orchids, snake plants, monstera, blue star fern, a zamioculca, ivy, and a slew of hanging creatures.

Is there anything you dream of growing?

I’d love to grow a banksia plant and have a rooftop garden with fresh vegetables and creeping vines.

Banksias are pyrophytes, which means they have evolved to germinate in fire, requiring it to release their seeds, leading them to not only survive, but thrive, despite the devastating bushfires common in Australia.

I travelled to Australia in 2019 for an artist residency and during my time there the Gospers Mountain bushfire grew from 20,000 ha to over 300,000 ha. I had never heard of banksias before this. But seeing this incredible evolutionary adaptation held such an impact for me.

The following year I released a collection that exhibited at The Lightbox Museum of the landscape in the days leading up to the fires, which included some bronze cast Banksia sculptures.

Where do you buy / get your plants?

I’m always snooping in different plant shops or markets. I love having a look and seeing what is out there.

Earliest memories of being in a garden?

I grew up in Canada on the edge of a national park and it was always the incredible smell of pine you get when you opened the door and stepped out onto the deck first thing in the morning.

I know it’s not really a garden, but that’s what I miss the most, now being in the city. The ground was covered in ferns and the deepest green, draped in fog. It felt Jurassic and completely wild. I love that.

Pick a plant

Orchids.

Pick a garden

Kew, definitely.